Twisted Faith
by RebecaNara
Summary: AU. Goku and Nara were sent to earth in an attempt to save them from the doom of their planet. Can they become strong enough to avenge their race? Danger awaits, lurking in the depths of space, waiting for the chance to pounce and destroy everything they've built. Follow their adventures as they find their faith in this new life they are given... Or lose their path in the way.
1. A Gift From Above

**Hey there! This is a story that has been in my mind for a long while now, I've thought about it long and hard, and now I finally feel that I have enough to create this AU. I've always felt like the Saiyan race in general didn't get enough justice, and Goku is always depicted as dumb, I want to give it a different twist, which is why I created a new character that I feel will bring it all together. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

 **AU. Goku and Nara were sent to earth in an attempt to save them from the doom of their planet. Can they become strong enough to avenge their race? Danger awaits, lurking in the depths of space, waiting for the change to pounce and destroy everything they've built. Follow their adventures as they find their faith in this new life they are given... Or lose their path in the way.**

A distant cry broke the peace of the morning. At first, Gohan thought he might have imagined it, why would there be a child crying in the middle of nowhere? He then thought he might have confused it with the cry of a large cat in distress, that had to be it. He should have let it go, let nature take its course, but there was a feeling in his gut that he just could not ignore, like a pull, something calling at him, waking his curiosity, and so, he made his way deep into the forest, the feeling getting stronger with every step, the cry becoming clearer and clearer. There was no denying it, it was definitely the cry of an infant.

As he got closer, the smell hit his nostrils, it smelled of burnt wood and dirt, mixed with something else unknown to him, some sort of metallic smell, he wondered what could it be, and suddenly he found himself at the edge of a crater. As he peeked over the edge, he saw what looked like a white metal ball in the center, probably what created the crater, he thought, and from inside it, the muted cry that had called his attention. He hesitated to get closer, his keen senses had noticed that all the animals and birds had left the area as if sensing danger.

The smart thing to do would have been to turn back, to follow example and flee while he could, but still, that feeling in his gut would not let up, and Son Gohan had never been one to turn away from a challenge, his Master had thought him as much. So, taking a deep breath, he ventured inside the crater, getting close to the white metal ball, which was emitting a few beeps. It looked a little beat up, probably from the impact.

Gohan looked to the sky, following the path of broken tree tops, wondering where could it have come from. Space? Could that be possible? He started inspecting the object, poking at it with his cane, rounding it until he found what looked like a hatch with a small round window, he peeked through it, but it seemed clouded from the inside, he couldn't really see much more than silhouettes, that's when he noticed something inscribed beside the hatch. It looked like some words had been scratched into the metal, he wiped away some dirt with his sleeve, but whatever it was, it seemed to have been damaged during the fall, all he could read were four letters. "Nara".

"Nara…" He whispered. He felt as if he had heard that word before, someday far away in a dream.

"WAAAAAAAAAAA" A sudden cry broke him from his thoughts, and he turned once again to the hatch. He traced it with his fingers, trying to find a way to open it, but it seemed sealed shut. He thought of trying to pry it open, maybe he could hit the metal hard enough to break through it, when suddenly, the hatch started to open on its own, with the sound of pressurized air escaping from the strange machine.

Gohan took a step back and watched as the door opened and the fog that clouded the small window dissipated. Just then did he take a step forward, daring to peek inside, all the while keeping a defensive stance, who knew what could come out of the strange device. He relaxed from his stance once he had a good look at what was inside the metal ball… Two small babies, both dressed in strange black and dark green clothes, in a style he had never seen before, spikes of thick black unruly hair sticking out of their heads, one of them had longer hair than the other, reaching down to its small legs, while the other one's spikes seemed to defy gravity. He got closer, to reach for them, and noticed something even more peculiar. A pair of furry appendages intertwined together, a tail, both of them had a tail.

Realization suddenly hit him, and Gohan had to take a step back, with two pairs of deep curious black eyes staring back at him, the cries long forgotten. Saiyans, these infants were Saiyans… How was that possible? What were they doing here? Were they sent to conquer the planet? The idea seemed odd, as far as Gohan was aware, young Saiyan children were sent to conquer planets only after having at least basic training, but these two seemed just way too young to carry out such a mission.

Gohan thought back to a few decades ago, when he had his encounter with a wounded Saiyan soldier and her mate, he helped nurse her back to health from certain death, and in return, her mate had promised to keep the existence of the planet in secret. In the few weeks they spent on Earth, Gohan had gotten the chance to train with him, both learning techniques from each other, learning about the ways of each other's home planets. Gohan learned about the space tyrant called Freeza, who had slowly invaded planet Vegeta, how he had so deeply infiltrated their home that the King's hands were tied, in fear of the monster destroying everything, he had promised his forces to the Emperor in exchange for the safety of his people. Freeza had forced the Saiyan military to conquer planets in his name, forced young children to go to weaker planets and kill everything on sight, making sure to corrupt their innocence to the point of turning them into killing machines that relished on death and devastation.

Bardok was his name, a young soldier enlisted into the army just before Freeza's invasion, talented man, he had moved up in rank on his own merit, being in the inner circle of the King's special forces, that was until Freeza had disbanded them, seeing having the strongest soldiers of the Saiyan race in one single team as a potential threat to his complete conquer of the planet. He had been assigned to a group of third class soldiers, designated as the pawns, the first force to be sent into a particularly difficult planet to conquer with the intention of maiming their forces before the elite teams were sent to finish the job. That's where Bardok had met his mate, Gine, a kind young woman, forced into the Saiyan ranks as Freeza's new rule, where at least one member of each family had to serve his new army. Gine had volunteered in name of her mother since her father and brother had perished in battle.

Gohan was surprised with the speed of Gine's recovery, with a farewell they parted ways, Bardok and Gine venturing into the forest, where they had hidden their ships. It made him wonder, was this round white pod the kind of ships Saiyans used? And if so, why where these babies sent to Earth? Taking another deep breath, Gohan finally reached into the spaceship and pulled both children out. Big bright eyes staring in wonder and confusion. That's when he noticed, one of them had an amazing resemblance to that young Saiyan soldier he had met twenty years back.

"Could you both be Bardok and Gine's children?" He asked, not really expecting a response. Bardok knew of the peaceful planet where life thrived, it would only be logical that if things got bad enough in planet Vegeta, he would send his children to a safe haven, in hopes that they would be safe.

Gohan looked up at the darkening sky, catching a glimpse of a falling star.

"I'll make sure they stay safe, old friend. Until you come back looking for them, I'll keep them safe…" Gohan looked back at them, the one with the gravity-defying spikes of hair was forming a pout, no doubt about to cry, while the one with long hair just stared at him in confusion, not sure if he was to trust or not. "Well, you two must be starving, that was for sure a long trip you just took, let's get you home and find you something to eat". As if they understood, a shine glimmered in their eyes.

Gohan adjusted them in his arms and made his way out of the crater and into the forest, following the path back home. Oblivious to the fact that the long-haired child kept staring at the forgotten pod left behind until it was lost from sight, leaving behind a life that never was. A distant memory of a family broken apart by war and a doomed planet.


	2. A Visit to Chazke Village

**Hi there! As I said in the description, this is an AU, so many things will be different. I feel like there were some gaps in the original anime that I would like to fill, plus my own version of how everything took place. I want to make this a little more believable... If an alien warrior race is believable hahaha. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Chapter 2**

 **A Visit to Chazke Village**

Gohan set both children down on the small bed inside his small cabin. He wasn't exactly prepared to care for a pair of infants, he took a look around, there was a small table in the middle of the room, with a single chair, a single plate, glass and a set of cutlery rested on the pantry. Gohan frowned and brought a hand to his chin, trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do about this situation. A whimper brought him out of his musings.

He looked at the small children in front of him, they didn't seem particularly scared, more curious than anything. The one with the wild spikes had a pout on his face and tears on the brim of his big black eyes.

"Alright, alright." He told the child with a kind smile. "Food first." He turned around and walked towards the pantry, looking for something to feed them. "We'll just figure out the details later… Now, what do Saiyan babies eat? Your parents ate pretty much everything and anything as long as it was edible." He chuckled. "I don't have any milk… Maybe some fruit? How about that?" Not really expecting an answer, he grabbed a few apples from a bowl nearby and started peeling them with his pocket knife.

A few minutes later he had a large bowl filled with apple mush, he grabbed his chair and sat next to the bed, grabbing the spoon and taking a scoop, he chuckled lightly when the shorter haired baby opened his mouth.

"Eager, are we?" Gohan fed the child the apple mush he had whipped up and smiled at the satisfied face of the kid. "You like it, huh…? What do I call you?" He wondered out loud. Suddenly remembering the inscription on the strange spaceship, he whispered "Nara… Is that your name?" He asked.

The long hair child sat up at the sound of the name and opened its mouth, expecting its turn.

"Oh, that is _your_ name, my apologies!" He said with a smile, and promptly fed the child a spoonful of the mush, though this time it wasn't received with as much enthusiasm. "Huh, not a fan?" The small child made a face, looking at the bowl with distaste, but then a loud growl from its stomach seemed to startle both kids. Poking at its midsection, the kid seemed to consider it for a moment before opening its mouth again. "Too hungry to complain? Don't worry Nara, I'll remember next time." Said Gohan as he fed the child once more, earning a whimper from the other kid.

"Alright, alright, it's your turn now… Hmm, I guess you need a name, don't you?" Gohan fed the child another spoonful and he thought for a minute. "Ryosuke, how about that one?" The child pouted. "No? Hmm, Lee?" The kid looked at the other child, twisting their tails tighter together. "No, you're right, it's not special enough… I know! I'll call you Goku" The child clapped and opened its mouth again. "You like that, don't you?" Gohan continued to feed both children until the bowl was empty.

"Goku and Nara," Gohan said as he left the large empty bowl on the counter. "What am I going to do with you both?" As he turned around, he saw both kid's eyes grow heavy, they were tired. It was only logical, it had been a long day of emotions for them.

With a chuckle, Gohan laid them both down on the bed and covered them with a blanket. It didn't take long for them to fall asleep, never once letting each other's tails go.

"I guess this will be a new adventure for the three of us, huh?" He said as he brushed the hair out of their faces. "Until your father comes looking for you, I promise to keep you safe."

Gohan looked around his small cabin, some things would have to change to accommodate the two new additions to his home. As he saw the children sleeping placidly on the bed, Gohan gave a tired sigh and sat down at the table. He had a thought in the back of his mind, something he considered once he figured out that it must have been Bardok who sent his kids to Earth. The Saiyan soldier was a talented man, strong, part of an elite team before Freeza had disbanded them, Gine was a kind and protective woman, always putting other's interests before her own, so, the idea that both of them had sent their children, their _infant_ children, on a journey across the galaxy all on their own, didn't seem to click right with him. Unless… Unless the seasoned warrior had deemed the situation dangerous enough that this had been his last resort.

Something told Gohan that Bardok was not going to come looking for his children any time soon, maybe ever. And then there was the fact that, well, he himself was not getting any younger. There was a chance that he might not be there to see the day Bardok came back if that ever happened, and he would leave the children to fend for themselves. He had to ensure that they would be safe, he had made a promise, and he was not one to go back on his word.

Reaching out to the drawer on the bedside table, he pulled out a piece of paper.

"Dear Master…" He whispered as he wrote. Pausing a moment to think of what he would say. He heard the children stir in their sleep, and with a sigh, he continued writing. If ever he was gone, at least this way he knew that they would be taken care of. He would go into the village to send the letter and take that chance to also buy some milk and clothes for the kids, they would be much needing them.

Gohan finished the letter, folded it neatly and sealed it inside a white envelope he got from the drawer. Grabbing his cane and fastening a basket to his back, he slowly opened the door and stepped outside. He hoped the children were tired enough that they wouldn't wake up in the time it would take him to go and return from Chazke Village. He knew leaving infants alone was not ideal, but he couldn't exactly take them with him for that particular trip, he still didn't know much about them, he had no idea how they would react to seeing other people in the village, after all, these were Saiyan children, he was sure they were stronger than he was, even at this tender age.

Gohan hurried, taking the path that led from Mount Paozu to Chazke Village. It was not a path he walked often, only ever visiting the village when he had business with the local store owners or had mail to send, which was on the rare occasion. He mostly kept to himself, growing his own food, taking his time to meditate and, even though not as often as when he was younger, train.

Oh yes, on his day, Gohan had had the honor of training under the one and only, Master Roshi. The teachings of the Turtle School had paved his path as a fighter, alongside with his dear friend, the Ox-Prince, though, now that he thought about it, he must be the Ox-King by now. Gohan smiled at the fond memories of his days training at the Turtle School.

Gohan finally reached the village and made his way to the Lao's supply store, the bell above the door tinkling as he walked in.

"Ah, Master Gohan!" Mr. Lao greeted. "So nice to see you old friend, it's been a while!". Gohan chuckled and smiled at the young man behind the counter.

"Leonard." Gohan nodded in his direction. "It has been a while, about 6 months since you last came to train at Mount Paozu." The man behind the counter gave Gohan a sheepish smile.

"Yeah, well…" He laughed nervously. "Between the baby and the store, I haven't had that much time to make the trip… But hey! I haven't neglected my training that much, I keep up with your teachings. I hope you are not too disappointed…" He rubbed the back of his head nervously.

Gohan let out a chuckle and patted his pupil on the shoulder.

"Not at all, I am proud of your progress. You may have taken a different path than I did, but that doesn't make your achievements less worthy. Having a family and caring for them is something to be proud of, my boy!" Mr. Lao smiled widely and shook Gohan's hand eagerly.

"I have to say, I'm relieved to hear you say that!" He said. "So, tell me, what brings you here today? Is there anything I can get for you?" Gohan pulled the white envelope from his pocket and gave it to Mr. Lao.

"It is of the utmost importance that Master Roshi received this letter" He whispered, leaning closer to him. Mr. Lao took the envelope from Gohan and observed it curiously.

"Master Roshi?" He asked, lowering his voice. "Is everything ok?" Mr. Lao unconsciously looked towards the staircase that led to the living area above the store. Gohan caught the action and looked the same direction himself, hearing the faint sound of the cry of a baby upstairs.

"Don't worry my boy, everything is in order, it's a personal matter." He said, Mr. Lao clearly calming down at his master's reassurance. "But an important one at that, there's no one I would trust more with this task than yourself." Mr. Lao gave one firm affirmative nod in acceptance and put the envelope safely in his pocket.

"I'll make sure that Master Roshi receives it as soon as possible, Master." Gohan gave him a thankful smile. "Well then!" He clapped his hands together. "That taken care of, let's move on to business." He said, as he pulled a list from his other pocket and set his basket on top of the counter.

Mr. Lao quickly took the list from his Master and started filling his basket with all the goods he needed.

"I'll go pay Miss Pepper across the street a visit while you finish, my boy." Mr. Lao nodded, while still focused on filling Gohan's basket.

Miss Pepper was a kind woman that ran a clothing store across the street from Mr. Lao's store. She was in her forties, with graying her and a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts. You could tell that she had been a very attractive woman in her day, she still was. Her husband had been lost in combat two decades earlier, they never had children and she never remarried. She always said to anyone who would listen, that she knew in her heart that her love would return to her one day, and she was going to stay put in the same place where she bid him farewell all those years ago.

"Gohan!" She said kindly as she saw him walk into her store, leaving her sowing aside, she approached the old man and gave him a big hug. "I was wondering when we would see you around here again." Gohan returned the hug and smiled kindly at her. "Do you need me to mend anything for you?" She said, examining Gohan's attire.

Gohan laughed kindly and shook his head, resting both hands on his cane.

"Not today my dear, I'm actually here on a different mission." He said, giving her a smirk.

"Are you now?" The woman asked, walking back behind the counter and leaning on it. "Well, what is that mission of yours that brings you to my humble shot today?". She smiled brightly.

"I'm actually looking for baby clothes," Gohan announced. Chuckling at the woman's confused look. "For my grandchildren." He clarified. Gohan had thought about it as he entered the village. If Bardok and Gine didn't come looking for their children before they started talking, he wouldn't feel right with them calling him 'dad', plus, they would need to go to school in the village someday, and that would just raise too many questions. He had decided that it would be best that he posed as the children's grandfather.

"I didn't know you had children!" Miss Pepper said with surprise, raising her eyebrows. "Let alone grandchildren." She smiled. "You're not old enough to be a grandfather!" She played.

Gohan laughed once more. Miss Pepper always had a way of making everyone smile.

"I'd say I'm old enough to have great-grandchildren!" The old man replied, sharing a laugh with the woman.

"Well, you had never mentioned them before." She said, walking over to a shelf and looking through the clothes on it. "Are they visiting? You should have brought your kids to visit! I'd love to get to know Son Gohan's son or daughter".

"Well…" Gohan didn't want to stir too much from the truth, but he couldn't reveal the true nature of the situation, he would need to find a middle ground. "My son…" He said. "My son was a fighter like me, him and his wife, actually." Miss Pepper left the clothes she was fiddling with and turned to pay more close attention to Gohan. "But they were… lost in battle." He explained. It wasn't entirely a lie, he didn't exactly know what the status of Bardok and Gine was, they might, and they might not come back looking for their children, as far as Gohan knew, they _were_ lost in battle. "And I will be the one caring for their children, until they come back at least."

Miss Pepper gave Gohan a kind smile, she understood his situation perfectly, and she would not be the one to tell him that the odds of his son and daughter-in-law returning were slim, not when she herself was still waiting for her husband's safe return.

"Well," She said, straightening her apron. "We can't have them running around the mountains naked in the meantime, now can we?" She chuckled lightly and then asked. "So, are we looking for girl or boy clothes?"

Gohan stared at her wide-eyed for a moment. He just realized he didn't actually know if this were two boys, two girls or one of each. They looked to be the same age, so he was certain that they were twins, but he didn't really know much about Saiyan nature to know if there was a way to tell genders apart based on looks alone with infants. He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head.

"Why don't we make them gender neutral?" He asked. "It's twins, you know?" He said, trying to deviate the attention from his lack of knowledge on the kid's gender.

"Twins!" Miss Pepper said eagerly clapping her hands together. "How wonderful! Let's get them something matching then." And with that, the perky woman got to work, putting together an assortment of clothes for the kids.

Gohan walked out of the store carrying the package that Miss Pepper had wrapped for him.

"Bye Gohan! Come back when they need mending, or they grow out of them! Give your grandchildren a hug for me!" Miss Pepper said, waving the old man goodbye.

"I'll make sure to do that, thank you, Miss Pepper." Gohan said, waving back. He crossed the street to pick up the basket full of groceries that Mr. Lao had put together for him.

"Grandchildren?" Mr. Lao asked with a raised eyebrow, having heard Miss Pepper's farewell. "Do you even have children?" He questioned with a teasing smile. "I never heard of any long-lost son of yours on all those years you trained me".

"That's a story for another day, my boy." Gohan answered his former pupil with a chuckle. "Just make sure that letter makes it to Kame Island safely, and then I might let you in on it." Mr. Lao patted the envelope in his pocket.

"Don't worry, Master. I'll leave for Kame Island first thing tomorrow, I'll make sure Master Roshi receives it himself." Gohan grabbed the basked from the counter, placing the clothes package on top and fastening it to his back once more.

"Thank you, my boy. Be safe and give my old Master my best". And with that, Gohan walked the path back to Mount Paozu, where Goku and Nara awaited, placidly sleeping, unaware of the dangers that lurked the galaxy. Unaware that far away, beyond the stars that could be seen from Earth, their brother and their Prince swore revenge on the monster that destroyed their planet.

Maybe one day Goku and Nara would be reunited with the few left of their kin, but for now… For now, they slept, tails intertwined together, safe in the comfort of Son Gohan's small cottage up in Mount Paozu. Safe from Freeza, safe from the doom of their planet and the Cold Empire, safe from the faith of their race, safe from darkness.


End file.
